Haeey l



(No Model.)

H. L. SHEN FIBLD 8c 0.. GELLMAN.

SUSPENDER CLASP.

No. 348,697. Patented Sept. 7, 1886.

% T0RSJ ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY L. SHENFIELD AND CHARLES GELLMAN, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO ABRAHAM SHENFIELD, OF SAME PLACE.

SUSPENDERHCLASPL C F CA forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,697, dated September 7, 1886.

Application filed May 21, 1886. Serial No. 202,850. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY L. SHENFIELD and CHARLES GELLMAN, of the city, county,

and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspender- Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in clasps or snap-hooks used for holding suspender-buckles to the sus pender-ends.

The object of our invention is to provide a clasp which can be opened very readily to release the buckle or to pass thebuckle between the jaws of the clasp.

The invention consists of a clasp having two jaws pivoted together, one jaw having a forked end, and the other jaw having a prong which fits snugly between the prongs of the fork, said forked and pronged ends being rounded to form hooks.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view, with the upper part removed, of the clasp, and Fig. 2 isaside view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a top end View.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The clasp consists of the two jaws A and B, provided with side flanges through which the pivot Q is passed. Aspring, D, is interposed between the jaws for the purpose of pressing the upper or hook ends of the same together. A slot, E, for receiving the Suspender-ends is provided in the jaw B, and a finger-plate, F, on the jaw A. The upper end of the jaw Bis provided with two prongs G G, forming a fork, the said prongs being rounded to form hooks, and the upper end of the jaw A is provided with a prong, H, fitting snugly between the prongs G G, the prong H being rounded to form a hook.

\Vhen the clasp is closed,'the upper end has the appearance of a bead, as the prongs G G and H have the same curvature and interlock.

To open the clasp for the purpose of disengaging it from the Suspender-ends, the fingerplate F is pressed toward the jaw B, whereby the hook ends of the jaws are separated to permit the withdrawing of the ring. As the curved end of the prong of the jaw A also passes over the bottom part of the ring of the buckle, said ring is held by both jaws and cannot become detached accidentally.

The special advantages of our improved suspender-clasp are that the buckle need not be turned while passing between the jawsthat is, the plane of the buckle need not be placed at an angle to the plane of the clasp. This is a matter of great convenience in fastening and unfastening the buckle, as in many cases it is required to turn and twist the buckle so that its plane is at an angle to the clasp before said buckle can be secured to the clasp.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The snap-hook or clasp forsuspenders, &c., having the jaws A and 13, formed with side flanges and pivoted together by a pin passed through said flanges, the jaw A having a hook at the end, and the jaw R having two hooks between which the single hook is adapted to pass, and a spring to press the hooks toward each other, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY L. SHENFIELD. CHARLES GELLMAN. \Vitnesses:

OsoAR F. GUNZ, MARTIN PETRY. 

